When Manny Pacquiao was called ‘cocky little fighter’ — then broke his rival
· Yahoo Sports
Manny Pacquiao took part in one of the most chaotic bouts of his career, nearly three decades ago to this day.
The Filipino icon has shared the ring with some of boxing’s biggest names, building a legacy full of unforgettable moments and world titles.
Across his historic journey to twelve world titles in eight different weight divisions, he toppled big names like Marco Antonio Barrera, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya and plenty more along the way.
Commentators called Pacquiao ‘immature’ before he broke Lee’s nose
23 Jun 2001: Manny Pacquiao (R) throws a right jab against a blocking Lehlohonolo Ledwaba during IBF Super Bantamweight Championship bout at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao won the bout by way of knockout after 6 rounds. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobs…On 28 December 1996, Pacquiao stepped into the ring for his seventeenth pro bout. Still early in his career, he came into the fight with Sung-Yul Lee riding a four-fight win streak following his first professional defeat.
The Filipino was full of confidence, coming off three consecutive knockouts. That showed straight away as Pacquiao opened the fight by swarming Lee with a flurry of punches in the first round.
Despite finding some early success and landing clean shots, not everyone was convinced by his approach. The broadcast team were critical of his tactics.
“The Korean is just being overwhelmed right now. Pacquiao is showing absolutely no respect for his Korean opponent,” one said.
The other replied: “I tell you, Pacquiao is good, but he is a cocky little fighter…he tends to get wild as a result of that.”
But instead of fading late as they predicted, it was over far sooner than expected. Early in the second round, Pacquiao broke Lee’s nose so badly that the referee had no choice but to step in and stop it.
Two years later, Pacquiao went on to capture his first world title by knocking out Chatchai Sasakul.
Why Pacquiao has no interest in fighting Jake Paul, even for $50 million
Nearly three decades after that win over Lee, Pacquiao is still active at 47. But these days, he’s picking his fights more carefully.
Sean Gibbons, who manages Pacquiao’s career, recently spoke about the direction they’re heading in for 2026 — and a high-profile bout against Jake Paul isn’t part of those plans.
Speaking to Betway, Gibbons explained: “Manny wants real fights — big fights, entertaining fights.”
“That goes back to Gervonta [Davis], [Floyd] Mayweather and Ryan [Garcia]. Devin Haney? You can throw Devin Haney in the mix as well,” he said.
“These are the types of fights Manny would take. They move, they’re skilled, they’re not overly dangerous for a 47-year-old guy in the ring,” Gibbons added.
“At this age it’s prizefighting. And whatever the biggest prize is, Manny’s not worried.”
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